As students are welcomed back to school this year, new needs and urgencies will be identified by school staff. As educators think through how to address these urgencies in a trauma-sensitive way, TLPI offers a tool-the trauma sensitive vision questions- to help support educators’ efforts to engage in active reflection and thoughtful inquiry on ways to achieve their vision of creating a trauma-sensitive, safe and supportive learning environment.
Everyone knows what it feels like not to belong, not to be welcome. Sometimes we feel rejected, left out, or hurt by lost friendships and partner relations. Now scientific literature corroborates that social rejection affects the brain in similar ways that physical pain does. Social rejection really does hurt! This is important information to consider as schools reopen, whether remotely or in person, especially for students who may already feel a lack of belonging or are marginalized.
The March/April 2020 edition of Principal Magazine published by the National Association of Elementary School features an article written by TLPI Director, Susan Cole.
The Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI) has been included in a recently published video wiki, “Organizations Working To Understand & Address Trauma,” which you may view here.
Research on trauma-sensitive schools provides timely insights for educating students during this time of unprecedented crises. Boston University researchers completed “An Evaluation of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative’s (TLPI) Inquiry-Based Process: Year Three.” The report evaluated the efficacy and sustainability of the trauma-sensitive culture changes that occurred in three demonstration schools that used TLPI’s inquiry-based process.
In our recent interviews, trauma-sensitive school leaders pointed to the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and staff cohesion for mitigating stress and helping educators feel effective and empowered.
Trauma-sensitive school leaders spoke to the critical role that parents and care givers are playing in this time of remote learning. Educators are now working closely with parents and caregivers in new ways, often supporting them as collaborating co-teachers. They shared the wonderful examples of how elementary school educators are inviting families to join the learning.
Educators share the questions that they use to guide their COVID-19 response and how they are addressing their most urgent priorities in trauma-sensitive and culturally responsive ways.
Recently TLPI convened a group of trauma-sensitive school leaders to listen to the many ways in which they are using the trauma lens to buffer the traumatic effects of these challenges and guide their work in these difficult times.
Recently, two noted neuropsychological experts, Dr. Stephanie Monaghan-Blout and Dr. Nancy Roosa of Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA), delivered an online presentation titled “Autism and Trauma: The Intersection” that provides some very helpful insights for understanding how neurodiverse students may react to traumatic stress.